It wasn’t the names among Winnipeg’s final five roster cuts on Monday that stood out, but rather the names that weren’t in the quintet.

While Eric Comrie, Nelson Nogier, JC Lipon, C.J. Suess and Joona Luoto were having meetings with Kevin Cheveldayoff and Paul Maurice informing them they’d begin the season with the Manitoba Moose (with Comrie, Nogier and Lipon requiring waivers), the Jets had officially handed new jersey numbers to 18-year-old defenceman Ville Heinola (14) and 19-year-old centre David Gustafsson (19).

Two of camp’s biggest standouts have made the team, for now, as the Jets cut down to 24.

And whether they stick with the big club all season or eventually receive the same fate as Winnipeg’s final trimmings on Monday, both have earned their shot to begin the year in the National Hockey League.

Neither Heinola nor Gustafsson was available as the Jets had a scheduled off-day Monday.

The duo played in Winnipeg’s 5-4 overtime win in Minnesota on Sunday. Heinola set up the go-ahead goal in the third-period and Gustafsson, with Mark Scheifele being a late scratch, centred the top line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler on his flanks.

Gustafsson told the media after the game that he had done everything he could to make the team.

He was right.

“He just does too many right things for you not to notice,” Maurice said last week. “He’s still a young man and I know that he’s got lots of time to develop. But there’s a real value in somebody like that being here for more days.”

More games, too.

An unfortunate situation in Sunday’s game, where Bryan Little was forced out of the game after a high hit by Wild forward Luke Kunin, could work in Gustafsson’s favour moving forward.

Little’s status is still unknown, with Chelevdayoff saying Monday that Little was being evaluated again.

The Jets are set to hit the ice on Tuesday for their first practice of the regular-season proper and where Gustafsson fits in up front will be of note.

Heinola, meanwhile, came out of nowhere and shocked everyone, including Maurice who just completed his 23rd training camp as an NHL head coach.

The expectation was that Heinola, given his slight frame, would eventually fall off a bit in camp, that the physical grind of Winnipeg’s preseason would slow him down and that the intensity would wear him out.

Neither occurred.

If anything, Heinola got quicker and tougher as camp wore on.

From the first practice, where he got plastered by Adam Lowry, to the final preseason game on Sunday, where Heinola’s ability to move the puck efficiently led to a crucial third-period goal, it’s baffled everyone who’s peered on.

“Based on his training camp performance, you could make the argument he’s deserved to play NHL games,” Maurice said after Sunday’s game. “What we have to look at now is how do we maximize this young man?”

Maximization, it appears, means at least starting the season on the roster, where the Jets can further evaluate up to nine more games if they choose before a more permanent decision will have to be made.

One step at a time.

The Jets still need to trim one more player, but with Little and Sami Niku both nursing injuries, one might begin the season on injured reserve. For what it’s worth, Niku was skating unimpeded on Monday during an informal twirl and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him suit up for practice Tuesday.

‘Status quo’

If you were given a nickel for how many times Cheveldayoff has used the phrase “status quo” to describe the Dustin Byfuglien situation, you’d be able to afford a well-customized Starbucks coffee at this point.

It’s been the GM’s go-to as the 34-year-old remains MIA as he ponders his playing future.

“Again, it’s like any injury right now — you treat it like that,” Cheveldayoff said. “That’s really the preparedness level that you’re at. The coaches, when a player gets injured, they take his name and put him onto the IR or they put him off to the side and they deal with what they have in front of him. I think our coaches have done a fantastic job of dealing with what they’ve had in front of them and they’re going to continue to do that. If I walk back into the office and say this is what is happening with Buff or that’s happening with Buff, they’ll act accordingly because that’s what coaches do.”

Cheveldayoff said the last time he spoke to Byfuglien was a couple of days ago.

“I basically have said the situation is status quo and it will remain status quo until you hear an announcement from the team or me at some point in time,” Cheveldayoff said.

OK. But what about contingency plans?

“You look at what might be available, what might not be available,” Cheveldayoff said. “You add into it the equation fo the cap. You add into it the equation of timing. You add into it the assets you may have. But that would be no different if Buff was here, the cap space might be a little bit different, but that’s a normal occurrence in a hockey team, you’re always looking and evaluating when options or opportunities are there.”

And when would you need clarity?

“When I get there, I’ll let you know — If I get there,” Cheveldayoff said.

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